Jacquelyn Lynn is a business writer whose dynamic books and insightful articles have been helping business owners and managers work smarter and more profitably for more than two decades. She is the author of Entrepreneur’s Almanac, Online Shopper’s Survival Guide and co-author of Make Big Profits on eBay, as well as a regular contributor to Entrepreneur magazine. For more information and for the link to her business blog, visit www.jacquelynlynn.com.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

First Case of False Caller ID Data

The battle between people who own phones and the businesses that call them (mostly telemarketers and collection agencies) has stepped up to a new level. Technology such as caller ID along with “do not call” legislation is making it more difficult for telemarketers to reach prospects. One way shady marketers are getting around these consumer tools is to transmit bogus caller ID information so you can’t tell who is really calling—and that’s illegal.

The Federal Trade Commission has initiated the first case of false caller ID data. The Justice Department has filed a complaint against Scorpio Systems, Ltd., a financial product marketer, alleging that the company did not transmit a caller ID or sent a phony caller ID. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (U.S. v. Venkataraman, D. N.J., 4/26/06). It should be a case worth watching.